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katie.cook@dau.mil

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(Section 809 Panel) and Twitter (@Section809Panel)

Public Affairs

Organizations interested in hosting panel members

for speaking engagements and media outlets 

interested in publishing or broadcasting items about 

the panel should contact Shayne Martin at 

shayne.martin@dau.mil

Read Our Interim Report

View and download at section809panel.org

Share Your Ideas With the Panel

Send us your recommendations at 

section809panel.org/recommendations

Subscribe to Our Daily Media Clips

The Section 809 Panel publishes daily media clips.

To receive them, contact Katie Cook at 

katie.cook@dau.mil

Follow Us on Social Media

Follow the Section 809 Panel on LinkedIn 

(Section 809 Panel) and Twitter (@Section809Panel)

Public Affairs

Organizations interested in hosting panel members

for speaking engagements and media outlets 

interested in publishing or broadcasting items about 

the panel should contact Shayne Martin at 

shayne.martin@dau.mil

Advisory Panel on

Streamlining and Codifying

Acquisition Regulations

Advisory Panel on

Streamlining and Codifying

Acquisition Regulations

Section 809 Panel Interim Report

May 2017

Section 809 Panel Interim Report

May 2017
Bold. Simple. Effective.

The Section 809 Panel is charged with making

recommendations that will shape DoD’s acquisition system 

into one that is bold, simple, and effective. Highlighted 

here are key problems and the perspective from which the 

panel plans to address them. Learn more at 

section809panel.org.

The United States is operating in a global environment that 

is more fluid, more interconnected, and faster evolving 

than at any point in history. To adapt to this reality, the 

acquisition process must be agile enough to respond to 

rapidly evolving threats, and fast enough to develop and 

deliver new capabilities within the arc of emerging threats. 

The defense industrial base has changed, and to maintain 

technological advantage, DoD increasingly must leverage 

the commercial marketplace. To be successful in this 

broader marketplace requires a fundamental change in the 

DoD–commercial relationship. DoD must become an 

attractive customer with which commercial firms want to 

do business. This need requires DoD to be a more 

sophisticated buyer that is responsive to market dynamics, 

company interests, and the greater economic landscape. 

The U.S. military faces multiple threats posed by 

increasingly capable adversaries and uncertain domains of 

warfare. It also contends with constrained defense budgets. 

To more effectively and efficiently allocate resources, DoD 

must better align and coordinate how it budgets, sets 

requirements, and acquires what it needs, to include not 

only major weapon systems, but also the services and lowdollar items that make up more than half of DoD contract 

spending. 

Allocate Resources Effectively

Some of the regulations and statutes governing defense 

acquisition are outdated or no longer applicable and should 

be amended or repealed to make the system more effective 

and efficient, and expand the number of companies willing 

to do business with DoD.

Simplify Acquisiton

The current acquisition laws and regulations are overly 

complex, difficult to understand and implement, and 

contain requirements that result in people making 

suboptimal decisions and being risk-averse. DoD needs an 

acquisition system that is simple, understandable, and 

executable by people operating in an environment that 

empowers and incentivizes them to make decisions that 

lead to positive outcomes. 

Enable the Workforce

Leverage the Dynamic Defense Marketplace

Adapt at the Speed of a Changing World

Bold. Simple. Effective.

The Section 809 Panel is charged with making

recommendations that will shape DoD’s acquisition system 

into one that is bold, simple, and effective. Highlighted 

here are key problems and the perspective from which the 

panel plans to address them. Learn more at 

section809panel.org.

The United States is operating in a global environment that 

is more fluid, more interconnected, and faster evolving 

than at any point in history. To adapt to this reality, the 

acquisition process must be agile enough to respond to 

rapidly evolving threats, and fast enough to develop and 

deliver new capabilities within the arc of emerging threats. 

The defense industrial base has changed, and to maintain 

technological advantage, DoD increasingly must leverage 

the commercial marketplace. To be successful in this 

broader marketplace requires a fundamental change in the 

DoD–commercial relationship. DoD must become an 

attractive customer with which commercial firms want to 

do business. This need requires DoD to be a more 

sophisticated buyer that is responsive to market dynamics, 

company interests, and the greater economic landscape. 

The U.S. military faces multiple threats posed by 

increasingly capable adversaries and uncertain domains of 

warfare. It also contends with constrained defense budgets. 

To more effectively and efficiently allocate resources, DoD 

must better align and coordinate how it budgets, sets 

requirements, and acquires what it needs, to include not 

only major weapon systems, but also the services and lowdollar items that make up more than half of DoD contract 

spending. 

Allocate Resources Effectively

Some of the regulations and statutes governing defense 

acquisition are outdated or no longer applicable and should 

be amended or repealed to make the system more effective 

and efficient, and expand the number of companies willing 

to do business with DoD.

Simplify Acquisiton

The current acquisition laws and regulations are overly 

complex, difficult to understand and implement, and 

contain requirements that result in people making 

suboptimal decisions and being risk-averse. DoD needs an 

acquisition system that is simple, understandable, and 

executable by people operating in an environment that 

empowers and incentivizes them to make decisions that 

lead to positive outcomes. 

Enable the Workforce

Leverage the Dynamic Defense Marketplace

Adapt at the Speed of a Changing World